With Jeff Saturday as interim head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, former teammate, Dwight Freeney, explains what he would’ve done if offered the job.
When the Indianapolis Colts shockingly named Jeff Saturday as the interim head coach of the team, many people wondered why Saturday was the former player that got the call. Did Jim Irsay consider any other players from the glory days of Colts football? Did guys like Peyton Manning and Robert Mathis get a call? What would’ve happened if they did? Well, Dwight Freeney shared what would’ve happened if Irsay called him asking him to return to Indy to coach, and Freeney made clear that it wouldn’t have unfolded as it did with Jeff Saturday.
In an interview with Tom Pelissero on The Rich Eisen Show, Freeney shared his reaction to the news when learning Saturday had gotten the job, then Pelissero asked him what would Freeney have done if it was him that got the call instead of Saturday. Around the 3:30 mark of the interview, Freeney laughed before saying, “I would’ve definitely hung up on him.”
Talked with Colts legend @dwightfreeney today and his answer to guest host @TomPelissero question of what he’d have said if @JimIrsay offered him the head coaching job is perfect:#NFL #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/rquLC1qRfs
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) November 9, 2022
Dwight Freeney would’ve hung up on Jim Irsay if asked to coach Colts
Freeney joked that he wouldn’t have wanted the position but admitted that Irsay must’ve gone after Jeff Saturday because he saw something in him and understood it’s a role he’d be willing to accept. Freeney highlighted Saturday’s leadership that was evident back when the two were teammates but also admitted that the entire situation has been surprising.
A member of the Colts Ring of Honor himself, the seven-time Pro Bowler also said that he felt bad that Frank Reich was fired because he believes Reich is “a really good coach” that had “a whole bunch of bad luck,” citing a lot of the on-field factors that were out of Reich’s control. Even after learning of Reich’s firing, Freeney, like everyone else, expected one of the coaches on staff to be elevated to interim. When he heard it was Jeff Saturday he was extremely surprised but said he was happy for Jeff, even though Saturday is walking into a tough situation.
The world will watch and see how it unfolds but Freeney comically made one thing clear. Jim Irsay called the right Colts legend because this isn’t a situation that Dwight Freeney was willing to enter for Indianapolis.
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